changing course? a critical analysis of south korea’s ......changing course? a critical analysis...

Changing Course? A Critical Analysis of South Korea’s

Parliamentary Election Results

April 16, 2012 Gi-Wook Shin

WALTERH.SHORENSTEINASIA‐PACIFICRESEARCHCENTERATSTANFORD

The 19th National Assembly of Korea

300 members

Saenuri (152) Democratic United (127) Unified Progressive (13)

Liberty Forward (5) Independents (3)

Political Group

Framing of Key Issues

SAENURIPARTY

KORUS FTA & Jeju Naval Base Issues

SAENURIPARTY

UNIFIEDPROGRESSIVEPARTY

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Member Turnover Rate

17th 18th 19th

Total # of seats 299 (100%) 299 (100%) 300 (100%)

First-time members 187 (62.5%) 133 (44.5%) 148 (49.3%)

Member Turnover Rate

223 (72.7%) 161 (53.8%) 184 (62%)

148 (49.3 %) 70 (23.3%)

50 (16.7%)

19 (6.3%)

9 (3.0%)

1 (0.3%)

3 (1.0%)

1st (term) 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th

Ideology and parties Constituency votes % PR block votes %

New Frontier Party Saenuri-dang 9,324,911 43.3% 9,129,226 42.8%

Liberty Forward Party Jayu Seonjin-dang 474,001 2.2% 689,843 3.2%

Conservative 9,798,912 45.5% 9,819,069 46%

Democratic United Party Minju Tonghap-dang

8,156,045 37.9% 7,775,737 36.5%

Unified Progressive Party Tonghap Jinbo-dang

1,291,306 6% 2,198,082 10.3%

Progressive 9,447,351 43.9% 9,973,819 46.8%

Conservative vs. Progressive